From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Mamuniyeh.

"Mamunia"
Single by Paul McCartney and Wings
from the album Band on the Run
A-side" Jet"
Released28 January 1974
RecordedSeptember 1973
StudioEMI Studios, Lagos, Nigeria
Genre Afro-soul [1]
Length4:51
Label Apple
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Paul McCartney
Wings singles chronology
" Mrs Vandebilt"
(1973) 		"Mamunia"
(1974) 		" Band on the Run"
(1974)
Band on the Run track listing
9 tracks
Side one
  1. " Band on the Run"
  2. " Jet"
  3. " Bluebird"
  4. " Mrs. Vandebilt"
  5. " Let Me Roll It"
Side two
  2. " Mamunia"
  3. " No Words"
  4. " Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me)"
  5. " Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five"

"Mamunia" is a song written by Paul and Linda McCartney that first appeared on Wings' 1973 album Band on the Run. It was also released as the B-side of the " Jet" single in the US, but was replaced by " Let Me Roll It" when "Mamunia" was being considered as a possible future A-side. [2] [3] [4]

Music and lyrics

"Mamunia" was written in Marrakesh early in 1973. [2] The title was inspired by the hotel Mamounia in which the McCartneys were staying at the time. [2] [3] [4] Mamounia means "safe haven" in Arabic. [2] [3] [4] According to author John Blaney, McCartney used the term as a "metaphor for rebirth." [2] "Mamunia" is one of several songs on Band on the Run, including the title track and " Bluebird," which espouse a theme of escape and freedom. [5] The song's verses use rain as a metaphor for the difficult times people face. [6] The song's message is not to complain about difficult times because everyone faces tough times and it's better to focus on your "safe haven" during those times. [6]

"Mamunia" was the first song recorded for Band on the Run in Lagos, Nigeria. [2] [6] Paul McCartney sings the lead vocals and plays guitar and bass, Denny Laine plays guitar and sings backing vocals, and Linda McCartney provides backing vocals as well. [2] One of McCartney's roadies plays bass drum. [3] Like "Bluebird," "Mamunia" is primarily acoustic. [7] Music critic Robert Christgau described the song's intro as "Afro-soul." [8] The song and the refrain are in the key of A major and the verses are in the key of C major. [6] Authors Chip Madinger and Mark Easter describe the song as "so lightweight it'll float off" but note that it is "relentlessly melodic." [3]

Personnel

Critics comments

Professor Vincent Benitez described it as a "typical example of McCartney's style of pop music." [6] Blaney describes it as "a bright and breezy pop song, celebrating the good things in life and equally as delightful. [2] Mojo Magazine described it as "a pearl of naive wisdom." [9] Authors Robert Dimery and Michael Lydon described "Mamunia" as a "solid side-two track." [10] Paul McCartney biographer Peter Carlin claimed that "Mamunia" "takes a more laid-back approach to the sentiment in [The Beatles' song] ' Rain.'" [11] Author Tim Riley concurs the song's relationship to "Rain," calling it a "pale rewrite of Lennon's "Rain," but praises its "smart two-key framework." [12]

Music video

A music video was made for "Mamunia" in July 1974. [3] Jim Quick was the producer. [3] The video is mostly animated, and Paul McCartney does not appear. [3] It was first shown on The Dave Cash Radio Show." [3] It appears on the 2007 video set The McCartney Years. [13]

Covers

Don Fleming covered "Mamunia" on his 2003 Band on the Run remake. [14] Larry Page covered the song on his mid-1990s albums John Paul George Ringo and Imagine. [15]

References

  1. ^ Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau, Dean of Americans Rock Critics". Robert Christgau's Website. The Christgau Consumer Guide.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Blaney, J. (2007). Lennon and McCartney: together alone: a critical discography of their solo work. Jawbone Press. pp. 85–87. ISBN  978-1-906002-02-2.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Madiger, C. & Easter, M. (2000). Eight Arms to Hold You. 44.1 Productions. p. 189. ISBN  0-615-11724-4.
  4. ^ a b c McGee, G. (2003). Band on the Run. Taylor Trade. pp. 56, 60, 203. ISBN  0-87833-304-5.
  5. ^ Rodriguez, R. (2010). Fab Four FAQ 2.0: The Beatles' Solo Years 1970–1980. Hal Leonard. p. 160. ISBN  978-0-87930-968-8.
  6. ^ a b c d e Benitez, V.P. (2010). The Words and Music of Paul McCartney: The Solo Years. Praeger. pp. 74–75. ISBN  978-0-313-34969-0.
  7. ^ Verna, P., ed. (13 March 1999). "Spotlight: Band on the Run". Billboard Magazine. p. 28. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  8. ^ Christgau, R. "Band on the Run". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  9. ^ The Mojo Collection: 4th Edition. Canongate. 2007. p. 322. ISBN  978-1-84767-643-6.
  10. ^ Dimery, R. & Lydon, M. (2010). 1001 albums you must hear before you die. Pennsylvania State University. p. 306. ISBN  978-0-7893-2074-2.
  11. ^ Carlin, P.A. (2009). Paul McCartney: A Life. Simon & Schuster. p.  234. ISBN  978-1-4165-6209-2.
  12. ^ Riley, T. (2002). Tell Me Why: The Beatles: Album By Album, Song By Song, The Sixties And After. Da Capo. pp.  354, 358. ISBN  978-0-306-81120-3.
  13. ^ "McCartney Unearths Live Clips, Videos For DVD". Billboard. 24 August 2007. Retrieved 8 October 2007.
  14. ^ Chadbourne, E. "Band on the Run". Allmusic. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  15. ^ "Larry Page: Mamunia". Allmusic. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Mamunia&oldid=1086634494"